Jam

Jam by Yahtzee Croshaw, 4/5

I was tempted to give this book full marks just for the sheer audacity and originality of its jampocalyptic plot, but ultimately felt the whole affair a bit unsatisfying at the conclusion. I think this was because Croshaw introduced too much new stuff near the end of the book. This would probably have been less jarring if the rest of the book had not been so tightly focused on a more limited collection of characters and locations, leading the ending to feel a bit like it belonged to a different story. Also, I felt that, by the end, Croshaw had subtly crossed the line from mocking clichés to falling back on them. That said, it was still very entertaining, witty and “novel” in every sense of the word.

[Why I read it: I enjoy Croshaw’s sense of humour, having become familiar with it through watching his weekly game reviews and reading his first novel, Mogworld.]

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Disclaimer

I am exquisitely aware of my complete lack of qualifications to critique any author's work. However, I aspire to be an active reader, not a passive one, and formulating an opinion about what I read seems like a good place to start.

The purpose of my reviews is merely to help me record, process, and remember what I read (which would otherwise be forgotten immediately, if not sooner). The 5-point rating system is no more than a convenient method of recording my personal opinion of a book's quality and value at the time in which I read it.